With the NBA Finals between the Dallas Mavericks and Boston Celtics only a few days away, the impact that another NBA championship would have on the legacy of Kyrie Irving is certainly a matter of interest and discussion among the basketball community. As most fans will know, Irving was traded to the Mavericks midway through last season.
Although the team did not even qualify for the playoffs last year, they have silenced the critics by making it all the way to the NBA Finals this year. The Mavs are now 4 wins away from winning their second title in franchise history. Winning another title at this point in his career will also allow fans to view Irving in a different light. With that being said, let us take a closer look and find out more.
Winning a championship without LeBron James will establish Kyrie as an all-time great
Those who have been following the NBA for several years will know that Kyrie Irving has won only 1 championship so far in his career. That occurred in 2016 while playing alongside LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Despite being down 3-1 in the 2016 NBA Finals, Irving and James orchestrated a comeback to win 3 straight games in a row and secure a coveted NBA championship. Soon after winning a title, Irving left the Cavs in order to establish a legacy for himself outside LeBron James’ large shadow.
While LeBron managed to win another NBA title in 2020, Kyrie is yet to do the same and is the closest he has ever been to winning a title this season. If he manages to win while being the oldest and most experienced player on the Dallas Mavericks, the notion that he needed LeBron to win will be instantly dismissed.Kyrie Irving will have more championships than Giannis Antetokounmpo or Nikola Jokic
The number of NBA stars who have won multiple championships is much lower than stars who have won just one time in their career. By winning an NBA title with the Dallas Mavericks, Kyrie Irving will have more championships to his name when compared to some of the other best players in the league such as Giannis Antetokounmpo or Nikola Jokic.
In fact, arguments that he is on the same level as Kevin Durant may follow since KD also has 2 championships on his resume from his time with the Golden State Warriors. In any case, all that is left for Irving to do at this point in time would be to aid Luka Doncic and lead the Mavericks to their second title in franchise history.